18 Weeks Pregnant
6218 Weeks Pregnant
At 18 weeks pregnant, you're almost halfway through your pregnancy. If you were having morning sickness, you should be feeling much better by now. In fact, you should be feeling pretty energetic at this time in your pregnancy.
Most women feel pretty good at this stage in pregnancy. They are enjoying showing off the pregnancy, and they aren't too uncomfortable yet. Your belly should be showing to some extent now and you may need to switch to maternity clothes if you haven't done so yet.
You should be feeling baby's movements by the 18th week of pregnancy as fluttering sensations and small kicks. These will get stronger as your pregnancy progresses. You can use the amount of movement your baby makes to judge its well-being.
As long as you are eating healthy at 18 weeks pregnant, try not to obsess about your weight. At this point in pregnancy, most women have gained about ten pounds or so. The better your food choices are, the less excess weight you'll gain.
Make every calorie count because you are building a person! Eat vegetables, fruit and protein, while taking it easy on the sugary desserts. Be sure to drink enough water to stay well-hydrated… dehydration will cause contractions.
It is better to eat several small meals per day than three large ones. You'll maintain a good blood sugar level without overeating. This strategy also works well as baby grows larger and your stomach gets squeezed by your growing uterus.
Exercise is important in staying healthy. Even if you only take a walk around the block or the mall a few times a week, you'll feel better and your labor will go easier than if you didn't exercise.
At about 18 weeks pregnant you may notice that it is more difficult to get comfortable while sleeping. You may need to experiment with different sleeping positions. Extra pillows or a body pillow made for pregnant woman may be very helpful.
Enjoy your pregnancy and your changing body. Pregnancy is only for a short time, so relish it if you can.
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